Cranes used for large industrial projects (e.g., cranes used at refineries) often have booms that are hundreds of feet in length, and the overall crane may weigh hundreds of tons. Multiple operators are often teamed together to operate large cranes in order to more safely perform the necessary lifting tasks. An operator of large crane may be over 200 feet away from the hook being used to lift and move the target load, which makes it hard to observe the precise location and orientation of the hook and other load-end structures used to connect to and support the target load. When large cranes are operated in low levels of light, the ability to monitor the position of the load end of the crane is made even more difficult and therefore adds to the already complex task of safely operating the crane. Conventional techniques for illuminating the load end of a large crane include affixing flashlights to the hook or surrounding load-end areas using everyday items like tape.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,551 to Russell L. Sterner et al. (hereinafter, “Sterner et al.”), titled “SAFE LOAD CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TELESCOPIC CRANE BOOMS” issued Feb. 8, 1972, and is incorporated herein by reference. Sterner et al. describe an overload prevention and indicator system for telescopic boom cranes of the stationary and/or mobile types in which the boom is pivotally raised and lowered in vertical planes by hydraulic lift motor means, the system including first electrical circuit means responsive to complete a selected on of a plurality of circuits corresponding to the length of the boom, the plurality of circuits being respectively connected in series to a corresponding plurality of second electrical circuit means, each representative of a predetermined increment of boom length, responsive to angular position of the telescopic boom in the vertical plane. The plurality of angular position outputs of each second electrical circuit means are connected according to predetermined crane overload information to a plurality of third circuit means representative of pressure range increments, and a pressure switch responsive to fluid pressure in the lift motor means, which is indicative of boom load, is connected to successively operate said third circuit means as the fluid pressure in said lift motor means increases and actuate an indicator and render inoperative selected operations of the crane when the crane approaches an overload or tipping condition at the particular length, angle and load condition at which it is operating at any instant.
There is a need for an improved system and method for remotely illuminating the load end of a crane rigging such that the location and orientation of the load-end structures of the crane rigging can be more effectively observed.